Oil-tank



T. I. RUTHERFORD.

OIL TANK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. B, l9l9.

Patented June 15, 1920.

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T. J. RUTHERFORD.

OIL TANK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT, B. 1919.

Patented June 15, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENT QFFME.

THOMAS J. RUTHERFORD, OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA.

OIL-TANK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pate t d J 15 1920 Application filed September 8, 1919. Serial No. 322,267.

noun, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oklahoma City, in the county of Okla homa and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention 1s to provide means whereby an oil tank will be automatically vented in case of an explosion so that the accumulated gases may be permitted to escape and disastrous conflagration thereby prevented. The invention is illustrated n the accompanying drawings and consists 1n certain novel features which will be first fully described and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective-view of an oil tank embodying my invention, the cover being shown raised;

Fig. 2 is a detail section showing the cover closed or seated;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the tank with the cover raised;

Fig. 4 is an elevation showing the cover closed or seated.

The tank 1 may be of any desired dimensions and around its upper end is provided with a band 2 of angle-iron having one por tion 3 olfset so as to provide a space between the same and the body of the tank in which the depending rim 4, consisting of a band of angle-iron secured rigidly to the edge of the cover 5, may seat. As shown clearly in Fig. 2, when the cover is down with the rim 4 in engagement with the band 2, the depending member of the rim will fit snugly between the oifset portion 3 of the band 2 and the wall of the tank so as to form a practically air-tight joint and to further guard against leakage, packing may be provided to be compressed by the cover when the latter is seated. At intervals around the tank I secure thereto, at the upper end of the same, rods 6 which project above the upper end of the tank, being offset to clear the rim 4, and are slidably engaged in guides 7 on the cover. As shown in the drawings, the guides are open-ended vertically disposed. tubes, arms 9 being formed integral with and extending laterally from the tubes to be secured rigidly upon the cover. The rim lshould be as short as possible so that it will not retard the escape of gas when the cover is raised. After the guides have been secured on the cover and engaged over the respective rods stops 8 of any convenient form are secured on the upper extremities of the rods so as to limit the upward movement of the guides and the cover. These stops are shown in the form of balls or knobs and may be welded or otherwise permanently secured on the rods. Any form of stop, however, may be used and an ordinary nut threaded onto the upper end of the rod will prove eflicient.

It will be readily noted from what has been said, and the accompanying drawings, that the lid or cover 5 is not secured perma nently on the upper end of the tank but seats thereon by gravity. Should there be an excessive accumulation of gases within the tank, the pressure of these gases will lift the cover, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the excessive pressure will be relieved by the gas escaping through the open space between the tank and the cover. The upward movement of the cover will. be limited by the upper ends of the guides coming in contact with the stops 8 and the guide rods 6 should be of such length that when the cover is lifted an ample outlet for all accumulation of gas will be provided. Should an explosion occur within the tank from any cause, the force 01 the explosion will lift the cover and permit the generated gases to escape so that the danger of combustion occurring in the oil will be lessened. As soon as the force of the explosion is spent, the weight of the cover will cause it to immediately descend and seat itself so that the incipient fire will be smothered.

My device is exceedingly simple in its construction and may be readily applied to any tank at a low cost. The action of the cover is entirely automatic so that no attention on the part of guards or operators is needed to attain the desired results and all accumulations of gas will be carried off and damage ordinarily due thereto will be avoided:

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: y

1.5 The combination of a tank, spaced Cir guide rods secured to the tank at the upper end of the same and rising above the upper end of the tank, a cover, guides carried by the cover and projecting beyond the edge thereof to encircle the said rods whereby the cover may move freely on the rods, and fixed stops on the upper ends of said guide rods to limit the upward movement of the cover.

2. The combination of a tank, an annular band secured around the tank at the upper end thereof and having an outwardly offset portion, a cover seating freely on the upper end of the tank and provided with guides at its edge, a rim secured to and depending from the edge of the cover to engage between the tank and the offset portion of the annular band thereon whereby to seal the joint between the tank and the cover, and guide rods secured on the tank at the upper end thereof and passing through the guides on the cover.

3. The combination of a tank, an annular band secured upon the tank at the upper end thereof and having an outwardly offset portion, a cover seating freely on the upper end of the tank, a rim secured to and depending from the cover at the edge thereof to engage between the tank and the offset portion of the annular band thereon whereby to seal the joint between the tank and the cover, guide rods secured on the tank at the upper end thereof below said annular band and rising beyond the end of the tank, said rods being offset to clear said band and the edge of the cover, open-ended tubular guides disposed to encircle the respective guide rods, arms extending laterally from said tubular guides and secured rigidly upon the cover, and stops at the upper ends of the several rods whereby to limit the upward movement of the cover and the tubular guides.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

THOMAS J. RUTHERFORD. [1,. 8.] 

